Contract to upgrade highway lighting in Asheville, across state

RALEIGH - The N.C. Department of Transportation has awarded a contract for nearly $31 million to make traveling on interstates and highways a little brighter.

The contract, announced Monday, will fund upgrades for more than 10,600 roadway light fixtures at more than 350 locations across the state. In addition to improving lighting, the agreement with Trane U.S. and J. Brady Contracting will save the state more than $56 million in reduced electrical and maintenance costs over 15 years.

That savings will come primarily from switching from existing high intensity roadway lights to longer-lasting and lower-maintenance LED lights.

Improvements are planned for lighting along Interstates 95, 40, 77 and 85, as well as interstate loops and bypasses in the Triangle, Triad, Charlotte and Asheville areas. Several non-interstate highways around the state will also see lighting improvements.

Also set to get upgrades are more than 12,000 building lights, including those at rest stops and visitor centers, weigh stations and NCDOT county maintenance facilities.

Construction work is scheduled to start in September, with the initial locations still being determined. The light and equipment installation should wrap up in November 2018.

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